Billy Hurley III is the first retired U.S. Naval officer to lead a PGA Tour event after 54 holes.
He’s there at Congressional atop the Quicken Loans field after an unblemished 67 on moving day. Hurley is 15-under par and two shots in front of Ernie Els, the man who won the 1997 U.S. Open on this same golf course.
Els shot the best round of the day, a six-under par 65 that was highlighted at the par four 12th hole when he jarred his second shot, a nine-iron from 165-yards for an eagle two.
Els, who hasn’t won since the 2012 Open Championship, will be paired with Hurley in the final round on Sunday.
For Hurley, it’s a change to change the path of his PGA Tour career. He’s ranked 607th in the world and basically has two fourth place finishes on his tour resume.
For Els, its been a long road since he six-putted the first hole back at the Masters. “I’m enjoying putting,” Els said. “It’s been a reset since then,” he added referring to his yips at Augusta.
Els’ formula has been solid play. “I kept it in play for the most part, overall solid golf and that is what you have to do at Congressional.”
John Rahm, the overnight leader who is playing in his first event as a professional, kept himself in the hunt with a one-under par 70 that got him to 12-under.
Bill Haas and Webb Simpson were in at 10-under.
Best finish of the day belonged to Harold Varner III, who holed out a wedge shot for eagle at 16 then birdied 17 and 18 to get to eight-under par, tied with Vijay Singh.
